Surgical Fixation System Helps Treat Frail Spines

A new surgical system helps align the thoracic, cervical, and occipital bones during posterior cervical fusion (PCF) procedures in patients with frailer head and neck bones.

The DePuy Synthes (West Chester, PA, USA) Symphony Cervico-Occipital-Thoracic (OCT) system is designed to streamline PCF procedures and generate efficiencies for both the surgeon and operating room staff in the treatment of patients with complex cervical spine disorders in the neck and upper back. The system includes instrumentation and implants that offer the surgeon a range of options in four key areas: fixation, alignment, targeting, and extensions, and is compatible with navigation software to aid in targeting in challenging anatomy.


The Symphony OCT is especially suited for improved fixation in patients with suboptimal bone quality by enabling crossing of the cervical to thoracic junction within one system, reducing the instrument trays needed from six to two. The system is also offered with optional sterile packed implants, providing cost savings in processing and sterilization. As Symphony combines aspects of DePuy’s low-profile Synapse and Mountaineer systems, it is compatible with components from those systems; additional rods and connectors are available to link the implant with the Expedium and Viper spine systems.

“The Symphony system builds on the deep expertise of DePuy Synthes in treating diseases that affect the cervical spine, and we are excited to elevate our existing portfolio by offering this new enhanced solution for the treatment of these debilitating conditions,” said Nadav Tomer, worldwide president of spine at DePuy Synthes. “This represents an incredible global opportunity to bring a differentiated solution to surgeons looking for reduced complexity, streamlined procedures and more flexibility in treatment options for their patients.”

PCF is a technique to surgically fuse two (or more) cervical discs using a posterior incision. PCF may be performed in conjunction with or without a posterior decompression (laminectomy) and with or without stabilizing screws, lates, and rods). Itis most commonly performed for patients with cervical fractures or instability, but is also performed for a variety of other spinal conditions, such as tumors, infections, and deformity. PCF may also be performed in conjunction with anterior cervical surgery, especially when multiple levels are involved.

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